Smedley Butler questions..........

[crate78]

A local farmer named Ron Meyer, who claims to have done a tour in Vietnam with the 26th Marines in 1966 and 1967, had an anti-war op-ed piece published in the Lincoln Journal-Star this morning.

In the piece, he claims Smedley Butler became disillusioned later in life and stated that, "as a soldier he had been used as a 'gang-like mobster' to protect American banking and corporate interests that plundered other nations and their people".

Before I do extensive research on my own, does anyone better informed than I know anything about a comment like this from Butler? Meyer's statement that Butler refered to himself as a "soldier" throws up a red flag immediately.

Also, were the 26th Marines in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967? If they were, how could I confirm that a farmer from Nebraska named Ron Meyer was a member?

I'd love to bust this guy on general principals.

crate

[yellowwing]

We go do our jobs. You know better than me SSgt.

[Ed Palmer]

http://www.the7thfire.com/Politics%2...ley-Butler.htm

General Smedley Butler: an Honest War Hero

Smedley Darlington Butler, Major General - United States Marine Corps [Retired], was born in West Chester, Pa., July 30, 1881, educated at Haverford School, married Ethel C. Peters, of Philadelphia, June 30, 1905. He was awarded two congressional medals of honor, for capture of Vera Cruz, Mexico, 1914, and for capture of Ft. Riviere, Haiti, 1917. He was also awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in 1919.

He joined the Marine Corps when the Spanish American War broke out, earned the Brevette Medal during the Boxer Rebellion in China, saw action in Central America, and in France during World War I was promoted to Major General. Smedley Butler served his country for 34 years, yet he spoke against American armed intervention into the affairs of sovereign nations. Throughout his life, Butler demonstrated that true patriotism does not mean blind allegiance to government policies with which one does not agree.

Unhappy with the Marine Corps bureaucracy, he took a leave of absence to act as director of Department of Safety, Philadelphia, 1932 but encountered much opposition from government officials who were in league with the illegal liquor syndicates. In Oct. 1, 1931 General Butler retired. To earn extra income he became a lecturer throughout the 1930's, was a Republican Candidate for Senate in 1932, and was asked to head an alternative government by right-wing industrialists. He died of cancer at Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, June 21, 1940

[FistFu68]

YES THE 26TH.MARINE REGIMENT,WAS IN THE 'NAM;DURING THAT TIME PERIOD!!!A.K.A.THE PROFESSIONAL'S.YOU CAN GET THE COMPANY ROSTER,FROM HQ.'S MARINE CORP'S;BUT THEY WILL ONLY SEND YOU THE DAILY ROSTER FOR 3 MONTH'S AT A CRACK.IT WILL HAVE,EVERY SWINGING DICK;THAT WAS THERE OR ON LEAVE,R&R,SICK BAY OR WHEREVER?ASK HIM WHAT MONTH'S HE WAS THERE?IT TAKES A'BOUT 6 WEEEK'S TO GET THE ROSTER FROM THE CORP'S,BUT YOU HAVE TOO KNOW WHAT BN.AND WHAT COMPANY HE WAS IN,S/SGT!!!

[10thzodiac]

A local farmer named Ron Meyer, who claims to have done a tour in Vietnam with the 26th Marines in 1966 and 1967, had an anti-war op-ed piece published in the Lincoln Journal-Star this morning.

In the piece, he claims Smedley Butler became disillusioned later in life and stated that, "as a soldier he had been used as a 'gang-like mobster' to protect American banking and corporate interests that plundered other nations and their people".

Before I do extensive research on my own, does anyone better informed than I know anything about a comment like this from Butler? Meyer's statement that Butler refered to himself as a "soldier" throws up a red flag immediately.

Also, were the 26th Marines in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967? If they were, how could I confirm that a farmer from Nebraska named Ron Meyer was a member?

I'd love to bust this guy on general principals.

crate

I was a Gangster for Capitalism

by Major General Smedley Butler

November 1935

Major General Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881 - June 21, 1940) was at the time of his death the most decorated U.S. Marine in history. He was twice the recipient of the Medal of Honor, one of only nineteen to be so honored.




Smedley Butler on Interventionism

-- Excerpt from a speech delivered in 1933, by Major General Smedley Butler, USMC.

War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.

I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.

I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.

There isn't a trick in the racketeering bag that the military gang is blind to. It has its "finger men" to point out enemies, its "muscle men" to destroy enemies, its "brain men" to plan war preparations, and a "Big Boss" Super-Nationalistic-Capitalism.

It may seem odd for me, a military man to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to. I spent thirty- three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle- man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.

I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.

I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912 (where have I heard that name before?). I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.

During those years, I had, as the boys in the back room would say, a swell racket. Looking back on it, I feel that I could have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.

[erased]

I guess that question is answered, eh? It invokes a strange feeling to hear a Marine Corps legend say those things 74 years ago. I wonder if other legendary Marines had similar feelings of government misuse of military might.

[FistFu68]

HOW WOULD HAVE MAJOR GENERAL BUTLER,HAVE REACTED TO THE ATTACK'S ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER(A.K.A.911)???

[erased]

I imagine he would've wanted to go after the people who organized it. We haven't done that yet... I have to wonder why.

[10thzodiac]

HOW WOULD HAVE MAJOR GENERAL BUTLER,HAVE REACTED TO THE ATTACK'S ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER(A.K.A.911)???

If, anyone listened to Major General Butler 9/11 would of never happened.

"Let's build up a national defense so tight that even a rat couldn't crawl through!" ~ Excerpt from a speech delivered in 1933, by Major General Smedley Butler, USMC on Interventionism

[HOLM]

Ya'll That maginot line don't work...


The great wall didn't work...


And I have damn sure played enough Rugbyto know that standing at middle field and forming a big line to hold off the attackers damn sure ain't guna work...


I read something once in a manual about attacking THROUGH the enemy...



Besides that.. With todays weapons tech.. Butlers big Navy program would be defeated in about a half a second..

Ya can only shoot missles down for so long before ya have to go after that launcher...


And I say why wait to see if you missle defense system works...

[HOLM]

[crate78]

Guess I got my questions answered, but, dang, it irks to hear a fellow Marine spout off anti-war stuff.

crate

[10thzodiac]

Guess I got my questions answered, but, dang, it irks to hear a fellow Marine spout off anti-war stuff.

crate

Try, "it irks to hear a fellow Marine spout off pro-war stuff."

In my experience as a Marine there were enough Marines that I saw, especially S/NCO's that weren't eager to go into harms way.

When my unit was jetted into Cuba I'll never forget that not only did my 1st Sergeant disappear at El Toro, MCAS, my one big nasty mouthed platoon sergeant pretended he hurt his leg (crutches and all) so he wouldn't have to go.

When my unit was sent to Vietnam, guess who bugged out first, our First Sergeant (different one). My Gunny (Bn. Comm. Chief) didn't want to go for the second time either, saying we were going to loose this war and he wasn't going to be in it.

It seems to me from the safety of our computer consuls there are some of us too eager to have someone else run off to war to look down the barrel of a gun instead of their-selves. Reminds me of that above Platoon sergeant of mine, all 'big mouth Marine' until the sh!t hits the fan.

I suppose I'm going to hear now from some of you now, "I was in the sh!t and/or I'd go, but I'm too old or I'm too lame, otherwise I'd go in a heart beat ! Well, you know what, in my opinion you are either a fool or have a big ****** mouth.

"I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket." ~ General Smedley D. Butler USMC

Ditto

SF

10thz

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I also heard that in later years, General Butler renounced his prior stand. However, I can't back that up with a quote or other source material, I just recall reading it someplace.

Check to see if the 26th Marines have a website, or a reunion outfit, that is another good way to locate a potential wannabee, altho perhaps this guy is what and who he says he is.

I knew 10Z would be able to post stuff about Butler!

Also, I know there is at least one bio out there someplace.

General Butler would perhaps change his mind in today's world. Remember, that the 'bannana wars' were just that, small counterinsurgency campaigns that were, in fact, fought for big business and the various sugar, fruit, and other corporations of the time.

You also have to remember WHAT time period this was; the era of rampant capitalism, teapot dome, 'the roaring 20's' and that whole bit.

So, while General Butler's quotes and words are, I believe, correct for HIS time, they perhaps don't fit into ours. Nor, realistically, do they even fit into the WWII era. This is called 'taking history out of context'. Most people tend to forget that.

[Sgt0811]

The web site for the 26th Marines is: www.26thMarines.org